Govt wants pact with Australia for wool sector cooperation

New Delhi: Government has proposed to sign an agreement with Australia, the world’s largest wool exporter, for cooperation in the sector, including an exchange programme for sheep breeders.

Minister of state for textiles Panabaaka Lakshmi, who is in Australia, had discussed the modalities for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the wool sector with Australian parliamentary secretary for agriculture, fisheries and forestry (Canberra) Mike Kelly, an official statement said.

The proposal envisages the establishment of a state-of-the-art laboratory at Mumbai, an exchange programme for Indian sheep breeders to visit Australia, grading and marketing of wool, breed improvement and setting up a wool exchange, it said.

The Indian wool industry is smaller in size in comparison to other textile industries in India. During 2009-10, wool exports from India stood at Rs2,262 crore, compared to Rs2,199 crore in 2008-09.